1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector having a retainer.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,947,775 discloses a connector with a housing that has cavities for receiving terminal fittings. The connector also has a retainer that is made of a synthetic resin. The retainer has a base with opposite left and right ends and left and right side plates that project from the respective left and right ends of the base. The side plates retainer can be mounted to the housing in a direction transverse to the insertion direction of the terminal fittings into the cavities. Thus, locks on the side plates of the retainer engage to-be-locked portions on side walls of the housing to hold the retainer in a position where the base of the retainer engages the terminal fittings to retain the terminal fittings in the cavities.
The multi-polarity of connectors has led to a plurality of cavities arranged in a widthwise direction of the housing. As a result, the base of the retainer has become long in a widthwise direction, and a central portion of the base may be weak. The locks on the left and right side plates of the retainer may engage the to-be-locked portions of the housing. However, the widthwise central portion of the retainer may warp. There is a fear that an operator may insert the terminal fittings into the housing and move the retainer into a locking position without realizing that the central portion of the base is not in a position to engage the corresponding terminal fitting.
The present invention has been completed in view of the above-described situation. Therefore it is an object of the present invention to prevent a terminal fitting from being left in a semi-insertion state.